powershell compatible SPP

[Chris Marshall]

Following a conversation with Chas Owens at
YAPC::NA 2017 in Alexandria, we're working
on an implemention of SPP using Windows PowerShell
rather than command.com and .bat files.

Is there anyone else interested in helping
with the project?

--Chris

[sisy...@optusnet.com.au]

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Marshall
Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2017 5:16 AM
To: win32-...@perl.org
Subject: powershell compatible SPP

Hi Chris,

> Following a conversation with Chas Owens at YAPC::NA 2017 in Alexandria,
> we're working on an implemention of SPP using Windows PowerShell rather
> than command.com and .bat files.

On a Windows 10 laptop, I opened a powershell (for the first time in my
life) and added the location of SPP's gcc and perl bin folders to the path:

PS C:\p>
$Env:Path="$Env:Path;C:\_64\strawberry5.24.0-ld\c\bin;C:\_64\strawberry5.24.0-ld\perl\bin"

(I'm not proposing that as the solution - I would think you'd want to
provide an alternative to portableshell.bat that does that for the user.)
But does that provide the functionality that's required ? ... or are there
some issues regarding the functionality thus obtained ?
It seemed fine to me - whereas running SPP's portableshell.bat from inside
an already existing powershell seemed to bugger up the shell's behavioural
characteristics.

Cheers,
Rob

[Chris Marshall]

On 6/30/2017 23:54, sisy...@optusnet.com.au wrote:
> -----Original Message----- From: Chris Marshall
> Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2017 5:16 AM
> To: win32-...@perl.org
> Subject: powershell compatible SPP
>
> Hi Chris,
>
>> Following a conversation with Chas Owens at YAPC::NA 2017 in
>> Alexandria, we're working on an implemention of SPP using Windows
>> PowerShell rather than command.com and .bat files.
>
> On a Windows 10 laptop, I opened a powershell (for the first time in
> my life) and added the location of SPP's gcc and perl bin folders to
> the path:
>
> PS C:\p>
> $Env:Path="$Env:Path;C:\_64\strawberry5.24.0-ld\c\bin;C:\_64\strawberry5.24.0-ld\perl\bin"
>
> (I'm not proposing that as the solution - I would think you'd want to
> provide an alternative to portableshell.bat that does that for the user.)

Yes, something like portableshell.ps1

> But does that provide the functionality that's required ? ... or are
> there some issues regarding the functionality thus obtained ?

The main one is without command.com, all the .bat files for running
perl scripts as programs (think pdl2 or perldl) won't run. I was
thinking to replace the batch files with PowerShell functions (or
cmdlets as they call them).

> It seemed fine to me - whereas running SPP's portableshell.bat from
> inside an already existing powershell seemed to bugger up the shell's
> behavioural characteristics.
>

Can't run .bat files wihout a command.com. I'm hoping for
a next generation portable shell dot bat.

Cheers,
Chris

[sisy...@optusnet.com.au]

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Marshall
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2017 1:32 AM
To: sisy...@optusnet.com.au ; win32-...@perl.org
Subject: Re: powershell compatible SPP

>> But does that provide the functionality that's required ? ... or are
>> there some issues regarding the functionality thus obtained ?
>
> The main one is without command.com, all the .bat files for running perl
> scripts as programs (think pdl2 or perldl) won't run.

They run ok for me in the powershell - in so far as they start up fine and I
can run simple scripts on them. (Or do people want to be able to run cmdlets
in the pdl2 shell ?)

One thing I did notice is that the history (up/down arrow) keys don't work
in the perldl shell that's run in powershell, though those keys work when
the perldl shell is run in the cmd.exe shell.
When I switched to using pdl2, the history keys then became functional.

Anyway .... I think your main aim at this point was to gauge the level of
interest in your proposed project, and although I'm not prepared to commit
to the project, I do find it a bit interesting and would like to stay up to
date with developments.

Are there more detailed reports (that I can access) of the actual problems
being experienced ?

Cheers,
Rob

[sisy...@optusnet.com.au]

-----Original Message-----
From: sisy...@optusnet.com.au
Sent: Monday, July 03, 2017 2:36 PM
To: win32-...@perl.org ; Chris Marshall
Subject: Re: powershell compatible SPP

> When I switched to using pdl2, the history keys then became functional.

Duh .... not correct.

But if, in the powershell, I do:

$env:term=""

then history keys work as expected in both perldl and pdl2 shells.

Cheers,
Rob

[Chris Marshall]

On 7/3/2017 00:36, sisy...@optusnet.com.au wrote:
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Chris Marshall
> Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2017 1:32 AM
> To: sisy...@optusnet.com.au ; win32-...@perl.org
> Subject: Re: powershell compatible SPP
>
>>> But does that provide the functionality that's required ? ... or are
>>> there some issues regarding the functionality thus obtained ?
>>
>> The main one is without command.com, all the .bat files for running
>> perl scripts as programs (think pdl2 or perldl) won't run.
>
> They run ok for me in the powershell - in so far as they start up fine
> and I can run simple scripts on them. (Or do people want to be able to
> run cmdlets in the pdl2 shell ?)
>

Now, disable cmd.exe on the windows system
and run the test again.

The idea is an SPP that uses PowerShell to
function and can operate on a system without
cmd.exe, command.com, or batch files.

> One thing I did notice is that the history (up/down arrow) keys don't
> work in the perldl shell that's run in powershell, though those keys
> work when the perldl shell is run in the cmd.exe shell.
> When I switched to using pdl2, the history keys then became functional.
>
> Anyway .... I think your main aim at this point was to gauge the level
> of interest in your proposed project, and although I'm not prepared to
> commit to the project, I do find it a bit interesting and would like
> to stay up to date with developments.
>
> Are there more detailed reports (that I can access) of the actual
> problems being experienced ?

The problem is SPP doesn't run without
cmd.exe and batch file support on a PC.

The goal is to be able to use a native
windows perl (SPP) when only PowerShell
is available. ATM, cygwin perl is an option
for these conditions but the emulation of
POSIX makes for a bit of a performance hit.

Cheers,
Chris

[sisy...@optusnet.com.au]

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Marshall
Sent: Monday, July 03, 2017 9:24 PM
To: sisy...@optusnet.com.au ; win32-...@perl.org
Subject: Re: powershell compatible SPP

> The idea is an SPP that uses PowerShell to function and can operate on a
> system without cmd.exe, command.com, or batch files.

Aaah ... sorry, I failed to grasp that.

I don't have much interest in such a thing, after all ;-)

Good luck with it, though.

Cheers,
Rob